Assjgnos to hindshaw sngi



HENRY H. HINDSI IAVZ, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA. EfiSIGNDE T0 Jft ENGI- NEERING: z IDEVELOPREENT (30., OF ST. PAUL. MINNESOTA, A COBFGEATION 0F EETNHESQTA.

No Drawing.

heat insulating materials are now Widel A used for lining Walls ot-cold storage 1 her chambers, covering pipes and as a for various surfaces to retard heat .on. s an object of this invention to produce a heat insulating material of high ettlciency by the use .1"- ve iive mosses. particularly the mosses belohgmg to the genus Sphagnum, which mosses will be coated and cemented or bound together by peat.

It a further ob ect of the invention to mix the materials ogether in the proper proportion and to knead and manipulate the mixture so that the moss will be. ti oroughly coated with the binding inateri l or peat. and other objects of the inventi i. ii

1 miles description.

The mosses of the genus Sphagnum grow in large abundance over wide areas in this country and grow Wet swampy ound Where by the annual decay and de posit, they form the principal material ct "lest bogs. This moss occurs as such. of e, at the top of the peat boot and varies thickness at different places averaging, blr a depth of twenty four inches. be material ot the present invention uh a. film of material which solidi- .ud the material is dried, the result is "ality of closed gas filled chambers. It is W 11 known that the heat insulating propa'es oft most materials are due to the same containing a plurality of gas or air filled cavities. The mosses herein used therefore are particularly adapted for use in making a Application filed December 7, 19521.

' moss used, these Weights referri HEAT-INSULATING 1'.5.TEBIAL.

Serial No. 520,588.

heat insulating material.

To properly coat the leaves and stems of the moss'and to form binder for holding the material together a well huniified peat is used. This peat can be obtained "from the same locality and deposit as the moss. lVhile the moss occurs at the surface it is necessary to go down to depth of ten or twelve feet to secure a suitable peat, as it is necessary that the peat be Well ripened or humi- Fred. Such peat, When first taken from the bog contains a great deal of moisture and has pronounced adhesive properties due to the fact that the protein therein is then in the form of pectose. 'When this peat has once been dried it undergoes an or ic change so thatit can not atteri be brought to its adhesive cont change consists in the pectose br 1 char into pectin. The peat when thus taken the bog and when in its natural condition forms an admirable substance for coal. and binding the moss together.

In producing the insulat materiah moss is first harvested or gathered from natural bed and anvhard Wood or foreign substances mixed therewith are rated. the moss being loos over carefully by hand or any suitable a pa ratus for this purpose. After the mo l. 95 thus been separated from foreign sub g if it is not already sufliciently moistened Wa ter will be added so that the moss is in a thoroughly moistened condition. The moss is then mixed with a quantity of raw peat. As stated. at this time the neat also contains a great deal of moisture. The proportions of the two quantities vary considerably. de pending upon the use to which the result-- ing material is to be put. (hauers '1; 95 Weight of the peat will be from twenty-five percent of the w 'ht of r: to the dry or anhydrous condition of the materi ls. After the moss and heat have been. mixed. they are thoroughly kneaded or mixed together and during this process the moss will be somewhat disintegrated. The leaves and stems of the moss, during this kneading operation. will become thoroughly coated with a thin layer of peat which will term a film sealing the open ends of the cells there of. This kneading operation can be performed by various apparatus but can be efii ciently carried out in the Well known clas too Mil

zit

ing mill having a revolving pan in which rest rolls having on their peripheries transverse ridges or corrugations. This kneading process is continued until the coating of? the leaves above referred to has been thoroughly accomplished. The product resulting from this part of the process is a pulp of plastic consistency. This pulp is then molded into sheets of the desired thickness,

either by rolling or by the use of mold boxes. 7

The material is then dried by treatment in a partial vacuum or any other suitable way until it is in a hard solid condition. This material can then be cut into sheets, blocks or boards, as desired. Such material is light, capable of being readily cut and possesses considerable tensile strength, so

that the same can be nailed into position as an ordinary board. Owing to the large dcposits of this moss and peat and their nearness to the surface, this insulating material can he very cheaply made. As above stated,

the amount of peat used will vary some- It has been found that by adding to the mixture of moss and peat certaln proportions of mineral substances, a hard porous product is obtained having the desirable heat insulating I desirable for ornamental wainscoting in qualities and yet forming an efficient substance 'l' or the flooring or wall construction lIl refrigerator cars, and similar uses, and is susceptible of an ornamental finish making it building structures and similar uses. The surface of thematerialcan, of course, be coated'with well known water proofing materials. Furthermore, the material can be reinforced by fibrous or metallic materials either with the object of ultimate strength,

oras a guide to its form or setting or soliditying.

The material herein disclosed has been found, in practice, to be very efi'icient for the purposes desired.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the various steps of manufacture, the proportions of the 7 materials and details of the operations,without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter herein disclosed and set forth in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. in insulating material composed of particles of moss bound together by peat.

2. An insulating material composed of particles of moss of cellular structure coated with. and bound together by peat.

3. An insulating material comprising Sphagnum moss, the leaves of which are coated and und together by a binder of humifie-d peat. 7

a. A. dry hard insulating material composed of disintegrated Sphagnum moss coated and bound together by a humified peat binder. V

5. The process of producing an insulating material which consists in mixing moist moss with raw peat, kneading the sub stances to thoroughly mix the same and to coat the leaves and stems o'fthe'moss with peat to form a plastic pulp, and then drying the mixture to form a hard solid substance.

'6. The process of producing an insulating.

material which consists in providing Sphagnum moss, loosening and. moistening the same, mixing therewith substantially oneninth of the amount, by weight of the dry materials, of raw humified peat, mixing and kneading the materials to thoroughly coat the parts of the moss with the peat, and to form a plastic pulp, molding said pulp into sheets and drying the product to produce a dry solid material.

7. The process of producing a dry hard insulating material consisting in disintegrating vegetable fiber, mixing and coating the same with undried peat which is in its natural condition, whereby the particles of fiber are bonded by the peat, and then drying said mixture whereby a tough hard product is obtained.

In testimony whereof I 'aflix my signature.

HENRY H. .HINDSHAW. 

